Hires, quits, layoffs, and other job separations in 2013

July 01, 2014

The number of hires and job separations increased in 2013, although neither returned to their levels before the 2007–2009 recession. From 2012 to 2013, the number of hires increased from 52.4 million to 54.2 million. The number of total separations rose from 50.1 million in 2012 to 51.8 million in 2013. The number of hires exceeded the number of separations in 2013 for the fourth straight year.

Three components make up the total separations measure: quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations (such as retirements, transfers, deaths, and separations caused by disability). From 2012 to 2013, the number of quits increased from 25.1 million to 27.6 million. During that same period, the number of layoffs and discharges edged down from 20.9 million to 20.0 million. The total number of other separations increased slightly, from 4.1 million in 2012 to 4.3 million in 2013.